Albany Symphony Orchestra @ Troy Music Hall 9/11/10

TROY – Launching its 80th season on Saturday night, the Albany Symphony Orchestra offered the kind of program that it does quite well. The concert began with a recent work by an American composer followed by a virtuoso showpiece with a major guest artist. A grand romantic symphony concluded the evening. Music director David Alan Miller conducted the program in the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.

The opener was “A Shout, a Whisper, and a Trace” by Derek Bermel, who we’ll be hearing more from this season. Its three movements were rather dark, haunted and even subterranean takes on life in New York City.

Bermel explained that the late years of Bela Bartok were also an inspiration, which came through in the angular and inflected solo by concertmaster Jill Levy. But the driving asymmetrical meters in the opening also brought to mind Bernstein, while a brief foray into a light Baroque sound suggested the piece rose out of the subway long enough for a stroll through a gallery at the Met.

The most thrilling moments of the night came during Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 16 with soloist Yefim Bronfman. The pianist and the score, both Russian, have a similar personality — determined, burly and a bit comic.

The first movement’s cadenza brought about a conflict between what the eyes saw and the ears heard. Bronfman was all over the keyboard, with furious runs and heavy crashing chords. But the ears took in even more activity and the mind wondered where was it all coming from. The intermezzo and finale moved at a rapid pace with orchestra and pianist both delivering at high volume.

In an uncharacteristic act, Bronfman took his foot off the gas pedal for the encore. Instead, he offered a hushed and lovely sonata by Scarlatti.

There’s a curious similarity between the Prokofiev’s opening three-note motif and the limping melody of the fragmented waltz in the Brahms Third Symphony, which ended the program. Their sounds blurred together in the hours after the concert. It was either a nice coincidence or a brilliant plan by Miller.

That Allegretto was the most effecting part of his performance of the Brahms. The final Allegro seemed to be reaching for a bigger drama than could be mustered. The crescendos started so strong there was little room to grow. But perhaps the players knew that they were already near the finish line, after a deceptively ambitious evening.